Switch



July 6, 1948. D. SAMIRAN ET AL 2,444,471

SWITCH Filed Sept. 29, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 6, 1948'.v D. sAMlRANET AL 2,444,471

SWITCH Filed Sept. 29. 1945 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA- INVENTORS Dau/DJAM/@HN 6.50955 ./PpLasLg-f 'mama Jui, s, 194e i SWITCH David Samiran,Osborn, and George W. lteplogle, Dayton, Ohio Application September 29,1943, Serial No. 504,264

(Cl. 20o-6) (Granted under the act of March 3,1883, as amended April 30,1928; 370l O. G. 757) 3, Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forGovernment for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of anyroyalty thereon.

'I'his invention relates to a control switch for a series ofsolenoid-operated valves and may have a variety of uses, such, forexample, as controlling the flow from a series of fuel tanks on anaircraft. s A

An object of the invention is to-provide, in a device of this character,electrically energized valve-opening means which lfirst utilizes ample.electrical energy for operating the valve `to its open position, thenreduces the applied energy to the minimum required for holding the valveopen. Another object is to provide, in combination with a series ofelectrically operated valves of the kind mentioned. a selective switchmechanism particularly-applicable to their operation in the mannerindicated. I

Other objects and advantages will become evident as the invention isdescribed in greater detail, reference being had to the diagrams anddrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axial section through one of the solenoid valves showingthe double winding Fig. 2 is an axial section vthrough lthe multipleswitch used in connection with a series of the solenoid valves shown inFig. l, the section being taken through the rotating and several of themovable contact members at 2--2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the switch taken at 3-3 of Fig.2, showing a snap action means of novel construction.

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the switch arranged for connectionto a series of the solenoid valves to be operated, the wiring diagram,showing the connections, being included.

Fig. 5 shows a simplified, though somewhat less effective, arrangement`of the switch and valves.

Like reference characters have reference to like parts throughout theseveral drawings and diagrams.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, a valve body 'l0 has a hub I2 fora fluid inlet opening I4, and a hub I6 for a fluid outlet opening I8. Avalve disk 2li is concentric with the outlet opening I8 and rests on avalve seat member 22 which is preferably press-fitted into a recessedportion of .the hub I6.

Attached to the upper side of the valve body I0 by screws 24 is asolenoid spool which comprises a lower head 26, an upper head 2l, and aconnecting tube 30. these three main parts of the spool 'beingpreferably press-fitted together, the upper 2 head into the tube and thelower head over it. The tube 30 should preferably be made of nonmagneticmaterial to break the continuity of the magnetic circui-t.

Attached vto the upper side of the valve disk 26 by a screw 32 is asolenoid core 34. Core 34 lls freely slidable in the tube 30 of thesolenoid spool. A diaphragm gasket 36 is held clamped at its outer edgebetween the body I6 and the spool head 26, and at its inner edge betweenthe solenoid core 34 and the valve disk 20. An annular bead 38 aroundthe outer edge of the gasket is held under compression in a suitablyshaped groove in the top surface of the body I0, while another annularbead 40 is held under compression in a suitable groove in the lower faceof the core 34.

A spring 42 has its lower end nested in an opening in the core 34 andits upper end resting against the lower end of a pipe plug 44 which isscrewed pressure-tight into the upper head 28 of the solenoid spool. Asmall hole 46 extends upwardly through the screw 32 and through the core34, so that the suction pressure in the outlet opening I8 and in thespace 48 above the core is equalized. In this way the pump suction willnot materially augment the valve closing eiort of the spring 42.

A fine wire coil 50 is rst wound on the solenoid spool, then a coarsewire coil 52 is wound upon the coil 50. A flexible cable 54 extends fromthe coil 50, and a cable 56 from the coil 52. A housing 58 enshrouds thecoil, its lower open end being held to the lower spool head 26 by screws'60, and 'its upper end being closed in to form the hub 62 to which aflanged member 64 is fastened by small screws 66. The member 64 isthreaded as at 68 at the upper end for connection to an electric cableconduit, the cables 54 and 66 being brought out through the member 64into the conduit (not shown). The inner ends of both coils may begrounded to a single screw lll in thelower spool head 26. The completesolenoid valve may be broadly designated by the numeral l5.

From a consideration of the above description of the solenoid valve 'I5shown in Fig. 1, it will be obvious that, by application of sufficientelectrical energy to the solenoid coils, the solenoid core I4 will riseand lift the valve disk 20 with it. It should be observed, however, thatwhen the valve disk 20 is on the seat 22, it is v'being held thereon notonly by the spring 42 but additionally by whatever vpressure may bepresent in Ithe inlet opening I4. Since the sum of these two'pressuresis considerable, a solenoid coil of relatively large 68 lifting capacityis required to raise the valve disk 3 from the seat. but after it is soraised a .solenoid coil of relatively small lifting capacity will holdthe valve disk in the open position.

It is for this reason that the two coils 62 and 6l are provided. thecoil 52 being of sutiicient capacity to lift the valve -to openposition. and the coil l being of that capacity only which is requiredfor maintaining the valve in open position once it has been opened. Forconvenience in further description, the coarse wire coil l2 mayhereinafter be referred to as the lifting coil, while the fine wire coil58 may be called the holding coil. Such an arrangement in a solenoidvalve is. of course, fully effective only when used in combination withsome sort of electric switch which will direct the large volume ofcurrent ,to the lifting coil 62 of the solenoid for that fraction of asecond only which is required to open the valve, then will cut off thecurrent flowing through the lifting coll 52 and direct it through theholding coil 50 to hold the valve open.

Such an arrangement contributes largely to the success of the device,since the valve, once opened, must be held open for an extended periodof time, and if the lifting coil were maintained in operation for suchextended period it would not only result in excessive heating but wouldconsume an excessive amount oi current.

The valve structure shown has, as one of its important applications. theremote control of the contents of a series of fuel tanks of an aircraftby providing each tank with one of the valves, then successivelyconnecting first one, then another, of the tank-s to the fuel line byselectively operating the valves electrically. Accordingly, theembodiment shown to illustrate the invention may conveniently comprisesix tanks, each having, at its outlet, one of the valves 15 illustratedand described with reference to Fig. l, the six valves being used incombination with asextuple switch for directing current, one at a time,to the selectedY one of the six valves, with means in the switch formomentarily energizing the lifting coil,

ieri permanently energizing the holding coil of the valve selected,

The sextuple switch, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, has a frame which comprisesa front member 12 and a rear member 14, both of insulating material heldaxially spaced apart by a series of posts l, 33, Bil and 82. The frontmember 12 (see also en its forward face, carries the indicia ai switchpositions 1 to 6, while the "is carries the series of terminals,

Fig. e), et 'the se .rear rn one termi into the o, and the remainder fordirecting current 'to e twelve coils which operate the six valves,terminals iL to 6L being employed for directing current to the liftingcoils, and to 6 for directing current to the holding coils. For

convenience, the member-s 12 and 14 may respectively'be called the dialand the terminal board.

Supported on the posts 16 through 82, intermediate the dial and terminalboard, are two dielectric contact-carrying disks 84 and 86. Disk 84 islocated immediately in back of the dial 12, while disk 86 is spacedsomewhat'forward of the terminal board 14. Disks 84 and 86,respectively, carry .centrally disposed power-supply contact disks Seach encircled by a, concentric row of vtwelve insulatedly spacedcontacts which are connected to the terminals, which in turn areconnected to the solenoid coils of the switches. The lifting coilcontacts are numbered IL, 2L, 3L, etc., and the holding coil contacts 2,3, etc.

A shaft 88 has its front and -rear bearings at S for bringing thepower-supply line the centers respectively of the dial 12 and disk 88and is rotatable to its several positions by a pointer knob 90. Adielectric hub 81 is fastened to the shaft between the disks 84 and 86.At' its forward end, this hub carries the brush I4 which bridgeselectrically from the power-supply contact disk S to any one of thecontacts of the circular row on the dielectric disk 84 to which it maybe turned when the shaft is rotated by the pointer knob 90. At itsrearward end, the hub carries a brush 86 which is angularly spaced 180from the brush 84. This second brush 86 bridges from the centralpower-supply contact disk S to one after the other of the contacts ofthe circular row on the dielectric disk 86 as the shaft is rotated.

Midway between the dielectric disks 84 and 86 is 9, snap-action,mechanism for quickly shifting the brushes 96 and 68 from the contactpoints upon which they rest to the next, as indicated by the spaces onthedial 12. This snap-action mechanism comprises a cam |00 which, in theinstant case, is an integral part of the hub l! and is formed midway ofthe length of the hub, having six lobes |02 separated by notches |04.

A frame |06 comprises two side plates |88 spaced by shoulder rivets ||0and has a roller Il! between the plates rotatable on a pin ||4. One endof the frame |06 is hinged to the post 16, the free end being swingableabout the hinge to seat the roller in any one of the notches |04. Anextension spring H6 has one end fastened to a rivet ||0 at the free endof the frame, and the other end anchored to the post 80, whereby theroller is yieldably held in the notch in which it is seated. Thesextuple switch may be broadly designated by the numeral |15.

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the switch shown in Figs. 2 and 3,the parts shown being the pointer knob S0, shaft 88, dial 12 withindicia 1 to 6 for the several tanks controlled, terminal board 14 withterminals to 6 and |L to 6L to which the coils of the solenoids areconnected. and dielectric disks 84 and 86 with power-supply Contactdisks S and contacts to 6 and IL to 6L for selectively directing currentto the several terminals. Brushes 94 and 96 are shown in that positionin which they connect contact disks S to contacts i. 'It should be noted(l) that terminal on disk 84 is diametrically opposite terminal i ondisk 86; (2) that corresponding terminals on disk 84, disk 86, and board14 are joined by electrical conductors; and (3) that the terminals onthe disk 84 progress in the order i-2L-2-3L-3, etc., while those on thedisk Il progress in the order |-|L 2-2L--3, etc. This arrangementaccomplishes a particular purpose and constitutes one of the importantfeatures of the invention, the operation of which Ls as follows:

When the pointer knob 90 points to l, as seen in Fig. 4, current willflow from the power supply S of terminal board 14 through the conductorrunning to S of disk 86, across the brush 86 to the contact I andthrough a conductor to l on the terminal board 14 to which the coil 60of the valve 15 of tank (not shown), is connected, whereby valve 15 oftank is open.

If now, with the pointer knob 90, the switch ||5 is snapped to theposition 2, current will flow from the power supply S of terminal board14 through the conductor running to S of disk 88. across the brush 86 tothe contact 2 and through a conductor to 2 on the terminal board 14 towhich the coil 50 of the valve .16 of tank 2 (not shown) is connected.

But while the brushes 94 and 96 moved from the contacts I to thecontacts 2 on disks 84 and 86, they crossed and momentarily rested onintermediate contacts 2L on disk 84 and IL on disk 86. Electriflcationof the Contact IL on the disk 86 which energizes the lifting coil 52 forvalve I, in this case was neither useful nor harmful, since valve I Wasalready open, but electrication of the contact 2L on disk 84, whichenergized the lifting coil 52 for valve 2, raised the valve 2 to openposition so that the holding coil 50 which is energized through contact2 may keep it open.

.The operation of the device in turning the pointer knob 90 from 1 to 2is repeated in turning it from 2 to 3, 3v to 4, etc., and in all thesecases `the electrication of the intermediate contacts 2L, 3L,etc., ondisk 86 is neither useful nor harmful, since they, in each case,energize lifting coils 52 for valves which are already open, butelectrication of the intermediate contacts on disk 84 in each caseenergizes the lifting coils 52 of valves which it is desired to open,and these coils lift the valves so that the corresponding holding coils50 may maintain them in the open position.

The foregoing described the operation of the device in turning thepointer knob 90 clockwise, but it sometimes becomes desirable to turnthis knob counterclockwise, as when turning from 1 to 6. In such casethe brush 94 `on disk 84 will move on the contacts I-IL-S wherebyelectrification of the contact IL was neither useful nor harmful, butthe brush 96 on the disk 86 moved on the contacts I-GL-G whereby thelifting magnet 52 of valve 6 was energized momentarily through thecontact 6L before the holding magnet 50 was permanently energized tohold the valve 6 open. From this it will be seen that the disk 84 hasits contacts arranged to perform a necessary function when the knob 90is turned clockwise, while the disk 86 has its contacts arranged toperform the same function wher the knob is turned counterclockwise.

Conditions may, of course, arise where it is desirable to provide forclockwise rotation only in the switch which controls the valves. In suchcase the disk 84 and its contacts are retained and the disk 86 and itscontacts are eliminated, the connection then being made as in Fig. 5.With this arrangement the lifting coil of any valve will be energizedmomentarily before the holding coil of the same valve as long as theswitch is rotated clockwise.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

1. In an electric switch, a. common contact adapted for connection to asource of current supply, a series of insulatedly spaced contacts eachadapted for connection to a separate current receiving device, a brushmember adapted for bridging from the common contact to the series ofcontacts one at a time, and a snap action means associated with saidbrush member operable to cause said brush member to move of! one contactmember of the series. make instantaneous contact with a second of theseries and stop on a third.

2. In a rotary electric switch, a common contact centrally disposed insaid switch and adapted for connection to a source of current supply, acircular row of insulated contacts concentrically spaced around saidcommon contact each adapted forconnecticn to a separate currentreceiving device, a manually rotatable member concentrically positionedin said switch, a brush member carried by said manually rotatable memberadapted for bridging from the common contact to the circular row ofcontacts one at a time, and a snap action means associated with saidmanually rotatable member operable to cause said brush member to berotated from engagement with one contact of the circular row, makeinstantaneous contact With the next contact of the circular row and stopon a third contact.

3. In a rotary electric switch, a terminal board, a contact supportingdisc adjacent said terminal board, a common contact centrally disposedon said disc, a terminal on said terminal board in electricalcommunication with said common contact, a concentric row of insulatedcontacts carried by said contact supporting disc, a, terminal 0n saidterminal board for each contact of said circular row, each contact ofsaid circular row being in electrical communication with its respectiveterminal, and each terminal being adapted for connection to a separatecurrent receiving device, a manually rotatable member carried by saidswitch, a brush member rotatable by said manually rotatable memberadapted for bridging from the common contact to the circular row ofcontacts one at a time, and a snap action means associated with saidmanually rotatable member, operable to cause said brush member to berotated from engagement with a selected contact of the circular row,make instantaneous contact with the next contact of the circular row andstop on a third contact,

DAVID SAMIRAN. GEORGE W. REPLOGLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 709,135 Brown Sept. 16, 19021,038,598 Kellum Sept. 17, 1912 1,252,312 Warren Jan. 1, 1918 1,767,058Eiseman June 24, 1930 1,888,684 Middleton Nov. 22, 1932 1,978,737 BowerOct. 30, 1934 2,012,492 Arnold Aug. 27, 1935 2,089,279 Loeler Aug. 10,1937 2,106,054 Leighton Jan. 18, 1938 2,292,478 Ray Aug. 11, 19422,303,382 Newhouse Dec 1, 1942 2,332,909 Fuscaldo Oct. 30, 1943 OTHERREFERENCES Ser. No. 303,854, Peterreins (A. P. 0.), published May 18,1943.

